Senior Wallabies have intervened in Australian rugby's ongoing drama after voting to call an ARU special general meeting as the Super Rugby saga continues to haunt the game.
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Wallabies captain Stephen Moore, NSW star Bernard Foley and Western Force skipper Matt Hodgson were part of a unanimous decision to back the Victorian Rugby Union fights for the future of the Melbourne Rebels.
The ARU says it will work set a date for the meeting within the next seven days.
The Rebels and the Force are still on the Super Rugby chopping block as the ARU decides which franchise to jettison from the competition next year.
Both clubs have threatened legal action against the ARU. It is believed the ARU is negotiating to buy back the Rebels' licence from private owner Andrew Cox.
Super Rugby will be reduced from 18 to 15 teams next year and the ARU has agreed to cut one Australian team.
But RUPA boss Ross Xenos said the ARU's process "lacked transparency and consultation", prompting senior players to back the VRU's call for an extraordinary meeting.
It is unclear if there will be a motion at the meeting to move a vote of no confidence in the board or chief executive Bill Pulver. Any such move would need to be tabled as a special resolution and have the majority of votes.
The ARU says it will aim to hold the meeting within seven days, despite the Corporations Act requiring a 21-day notice period for the meeting to go ahead.
Players have been stuck in the middle of the fight between ARU and club powerbrokers. The ARU has told clubs they will not register player contracts until a final decision is made on which team will be cut.
Now the players, led by RUPA representatives Moore, Foley, Dean Mumm, Scott Sio, James Slipper are taking a stand, forcing the ARU to meet with stakeholders.
"The ARU's intent to axe an Australian Super Rugby team has lacked transparency and consultation with key stakeholders," Xenos said.
"Today's unanimous RUPA board resolution illustrates the commitment of players from all across the country to take action towards a constructive solution to this ongoing fiasco.
"The ongoing uncertainty and secrecy of this process continues to do unprecedented damage to the reputation of the game and has placed unacceptable distress on players and their families.
"In every Australian team there are players and staff whose livelihoods and wellbeing have been compromised through this protracted process.
"If there is no clear way forward for Australian rugby that provides the necessary cost savings to justify altering our current professional rugby footprint in the middle of this broadcast cycle, then it's about time we stopped uppercutting ourselves, backed the retention of five Super Rugby teams and got on with fighting our common enemies outside the tent."
NSW and Queensland have voting power and any move to force dramatic change at the ARU would need the backing of most voting members.
ARU chairman Cameron Clyne said: "We acknowledge the request by the VRU, supported by RUPA, for a special general meeting.
"We must provide 21 days notice to voting members to convene a general meeting, however in order to prevent further delays the board is willing to meet with the major stakeholders within a shorter time-frame to detail as much information as we are able on the current process regarding Super Rugby."
The Victorian government has reportedly asked Cox to issue a public statement confirming he will not sell the Rebels back to the ARU.
The VRU issued a statement to reiterate its support to keep the Rebels in the competition and were willing to work with the Victorian government and ARU.
"This seeks to provide a forum for a transparent discussion on the future of Super Rugby in Australia and the disclosure of documents relating to the ARU's purported decision to remove a Super Rugby team from the Australian conference," it said.
The VRU further called on all Victorian rugby supporters to make "constructive" protests to the ARU by posting their support for the Rebels on social media as well as sending letters to ARU boss Bill Pulver.
Rebels assistant coach Morgan Turinui blasted the ARU as an "absolute disgrace" on Tuesday for its handling of the situation.
"They have had no one from the ARU come down to talk to them, to reassure them and RUPA have been non-existent outside of their petition to SANZAAR on social media to keep five teams," Turinui said.
"The way the ARU has handled this is an absolute disgrace."
The drawn-out process has adversely affected rugby union on and off the field in Australia this year, with the five franchises winning a combined 13 of 51 games so far this season.
